


Endless Silence

by XenonX3



Category: Original Work
Genre: Outer Space, Science Fiction, Space Flight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-18 11:30:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18119924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XenonX3/pseuds/XenonX3
Summary: A passenger ship is traveling through space with the passengers in cryogenic stasis, when someone wakes up and finds they're the only one awake.





	1. Chapter 1

_Welcome to the inaugural flight of the first interstellar passenger ship, the UTS Lusitania. We will be travelling 4.3 light years from Earth to the Alpha Centauri system, a trip that should take us about 20 years. This ship boasts brand new, state-of-the-art Smart Auto-Pilot technology to make sure you get to your destination as safely and as quickly as possible. For your travelling comfort, every passenger has their own personal CryoSleep(TM) Pod to make the trip go by at warp speed! So buckle up and get comfy, we'll be there before you know it! Sweet dreams!_

 

* * *

 

 

"All passengers on board and in their pods, Captain."

"Good. Any problems?"

"No sir, everyone seemed very excited to get under way."

"Alright. Once we get going, we'll set the auto pilot to navigate while we sleep. It has a timer set to wake up the crew once a year to run system checks and make sure we're still on course for Alpha Centauri and that the experimental auto-pilot system is still working. So that's about 20 mornings for us. Unless something goes really wrong, it should only feel like 20 days for us and one very good night sleep for the passengers."

 

* * *

 

Captain's Log: Year 0, launch day

     The passengers have been in their pods for a few hours now. Launch went smoother than we could have hoped for. Not a single thing went wrong. The rest of the crew just got into their pods and I'm now setting our 1 year alarm so we can wake up for systems checks. Captain Herschel, signing off. Good night.

 

Captain's Log: Year 1

     It was nice to get out of the pod and stretch. We all had a good year sleep. Systems are running exactly as they should, no issues. The crew is going to have dinner and play a round or two of poker before going back in the pods.

 

Captain's Log: Year 2

     All systems operational. Looking forward to this years poker game. I've been practicing in my sleep. This time I think I can beat Lieutenant Walker.

 

Captain's Log: Year 4

     I must have set the alarm for two years instead of one. Otherwise, all systems are operational. Maybe this will be the year I win the poker game. Lt. Walker is going DOWN. Seriously, where did she learn to play poker so well?

 

Captain's Log: Year 7

     I don't know why the 1 year alarm is waking us up so late. We've been travelling for 7 years now. As usual, all systems operational. Except apparently the alarm. At least everything else seems fine. I'm really excited to lose another poker game. Maybe I can convince the crew to play 'Go Fish' instead.

 

* * *

 

Day 1

     Um... I don't know who I'm writing to or why, but I'm on an interstellar passenger ship and my sleep pod woke me up. But just me. I'm a passenger, I shouldn't be woken up until we arrive. It seems like I was the only one. This ship is so big. Its creepy too with all of these sleeping people. I feel like I'm in a morgue. I wish I was any good with computers, but I'm not. So I'm writing this down in a notebook I had brought in my pocket. I wanted to be able to write down my first impressions of the planet when we arrived, but I guess I'll be using it to keep a log in case someone finds this later. I tried turning the sleep pod back on and getting back in, but it just won't work. I don't know why.

 

Day 3

     I found food! I was getting really hungry. Turns out there's a small kitchen / breakroom on the ship, probably for the crew when they wake up to check on things. Anyways, there's food. But not much else. Just a lot of silent sleeping bodies.

 

Day 6

     I am getting so sick of this silence! I've been talking to myself a lot. And singing. Luckily there's no one awake to criticize.

 

Day 10: Transcription of audio log

     Testing... Testing... Is this thing on? I've been poking around the computers on the um... the bridge? You know, where the captain and crew would be. I found a way to make recordings of my voice so I don't have to keep writing down my logs. I hope these survive. There's a window up here, too. I can see outside. It's so.... beautiful. I never knew space travel could be so beautiful. I think I'm going to start sleeping up here. I was sleeping on the table in what I've been calling the break room. But this chair is a bit more comfortable and the sounds of the running computers breaks up the silence a little. Not to mention the view is much better here.

 

Day 12: Transcription of audio log

     I just heard something. I'm trying to tell myself it's just the creaking of the old joints in the ship settling, but I'm not so sure about that. It's not like there's gravity or anything outside, why would the ship be settling like an old house? But I definitely heard something. In my spare time I've been exploring the ship. I feel like if I get to know the layout of it, it won't seem so big and scary.


	2. Chapter 2

Day 15: Transcription of audio log

It's been nothing but total silence the last few days. I keep wanting to talk to myself or sing or hum just to break up the silence, but every time I do, I could swear I hear noises on the other side of the ship. So I've been trying to keep quiet so I can figure out where it's coming from. No luck yet. This place is so dusty. I think I'm going to start cleaning to pass the time. I'm trying not to each much of the crews food. I'm not sure how long I'm going to be here alone and there's not that much food. It was only meant to feed the crew about once a year I think. I wish I could get my pod working so I could just go back into stasis.  


Day 20: Transcription of audio log

There's so much DUST! I've cleaned so much of this place, no one is going to recognize it when they wake up. It's been quiet lately, too. I decided I'd rather hear my own voice than have to listen for imagined creaking noises. Maybe I'll start recording these terrible songs I'm writing on the fly. Ha! Get it? On the fly? I'm in a space ship! Ok, so stand up comedy isn't my thing either. 

 

**[terriblesongaboutflying.mp3]**

**[ohgoshisoundawful.mp3]**

**[nooneisheretostopmefromsinging.mp3]**

 

Day 23: Transcription of audio log

I've been out of my pod for about 3 weeks now. I've honestly been avoiding the rooms full of sleeping people. Like I said, it feels like a morgue. I'd rather think I'm here alone than think about all of the people on board with me. Every time I think about them, I think about waking someone up so I would have company. But not only do I have no idea how to do that, I don't think it would be fair. Besides, it doesn't seem like the controls are on the individual pods. I examined mine thoroughly when I was trying to get it to turn back on so I could go back to sleep. And again, I'm not very good with computers. The room I woke up in was full of passenger pods. There's a bunch of rooms, maybe the crew is in their own.

 

Day 25: Transcription of audio log

I decided I only have the constitution to go through one room of pods per day. You have no idea how creepy it is. I still haven't found the crew pods but there's a lot more passengers on board than I thought there would be.  


Day 26: Transcription of audio log

Still no crew pods. So many passengers...I feel like doors have been a little stubborn today.

 

**[singingaboutsleepingpeople.mp3]**

 

Day 28:  Transcription of audio log

When I'm not looking through the rooms full of pods, I've been staring out the window a lot. The stars outside look beautiful. It's like looking at an endless night. I've also had a lot of time to think about life and death and nothingness. It's honestly so depressing. I should stop thinking and just sing more. I sound awful but it's keeping me entertained at least.

 

**[lullabyforthevoid.mp3]**

 

Day 30: Transcription of audio log

Happy one month of loneliness to me! The universe decided to smile upon me today. Well, it smirked at me. I found the room of crew pods, finally. There's about 50 of them. Front and center, where you can't miss it, is Captain Kelley's pod. The pod has a Centaurian flag on the front, I guess so if something goes wrong, people will know where this ship came from. Not that it could be going to Earth from any other planet. 

 

Day 33: Transcription of audio log

I found some dominoes in the break room. I was hoping for cards so I could play solitaire, but no such luck. Since there's no solitary game I know of to play with dominoes, I started building domino chains to pass the time.  At least until the lights got too dim to see by. They seem to do that sometimes.

 

Day 35: Transcription of audio log

Oh MAN what I wouldn't give for some company and a home-cooked meal right now.

 

Day 38: Transcription of audio log

Everything is clean. I've looked at the stars so much I'm making up my own constellations. I've mastered the art of crazy domino chains in only a few days. I really have nothing to do here. I've been sleeping more too. This captain's chair is pretty comfortable. For something that is only used about once a year per trip, it's pretty worn out. This ship is getting old I guess. I haven't been hearing a lot of noises lately either. I guess I was imagi- 

     ***THUD***

What the hell was that!?!

 


	3. Chapter 3

Day 40: Transcription of audio log

     I haven't slept in 2 days. I hope I haven't slept. I found coffee and I've been drinking it constantly to stay awake. Any time I start to doze off, I hear another thud. No matter where I am, it's always on the other side of the ship from me. Each time I hear it, I go to where I think I heard it from and camp out there. Eventually, I start to doze off, and suddenly I hear the thud on the other side of the ship! When I gave up and came back, I swear the door didn't want to open for me. It took me a few minutes of pleading for it to let me in. I'm just going to stay here, at the bridge command center thing and hope the sound stays far far away from me.  


Day 42: Transcription of audio log

    The thought of jumping through the window has occurred to me many times. I'm sure it's reinforced. It wouldn't make much sense to go into space with a breakable window. I'm trapped here. With.... something. Someone. I know I'm not alone on this ship but I think I'm not the only one awake.

 

Day 44: Transcription of audio log

     I think the sound realized I'm not chasing it anymore. I hear it sometimes on the other side of the ship, as usual, but it doesn't seem to be moving anymore. Maybe it's bored of tormenting me now. Maybe it's-

     *thud*

DID YOU HEAR IT?? It was distant still but oh I hope the microphone caught that sound! I'm not crazy, I swear!

 

Day 47: Transcription of audio log

     I passed out. For at least a day, I think. Whatever a day is in here. I'm not exactly sure how long these so-called days are on this ship. The computer just has a screen with how many days the ship has been in flight and I've been counting based on that. It could be lying to me. It could all be lying to me. I have to find a better way to stay awake. I can't keep falling asleep like this.

 

Day 49: Transcription of audio log

     *thud*

     *thud*

You can hear it, right?

     *thud*

It's been doing this for about an hour now.

     *thud thud*

It's not a beat or

     *thud*

a pattern. It's just random. It has to be a person. Or a creature. A ghost? No, I don't believe in ghosts. At least, I don't think I do. Do I believe in ghosts? What kind of ghost haunts a space ship? The kind that likes to open doors and turn on lights on its own, I guess. Wait a second... it stopped... 

     *THUD*

HOLY F^&% THAT WAS RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR!

     *knock knock*

Um... something is... knocking on the door...

     *knock knock knock*

Hello??? Is anyone there?

I'm not answering a door on a space ship where everyone is supposed to be asleep! 

HELLO??? ANYONE OUT THERE???

I'm going to keep recording in case something happens, I'll start it on a new file.

Dang, the lights went dim again. Stupid old ship.

 

[8hoursofstatic.mp3]

 

Day 51: Transcription of audio log

     It's quiet again. The knocking never came back. Eventually I opened the door and looked out. The lights seemed a bit dimmer, but no one was there. Obviously. Everyone else is asleep in their pods. I'm the only one awake on this stupid ship. I need to go out to the break room to get more coffee and food so I can stay awake. I ran out of the food I brought in here with me. I'm just too afraid of what I'll find if I leave. I may just stay here until we get to Earth.

 

Day 51.2: Transcription of audio log

     Food and coffee acquired. Once I came back, the door closed on its own and locked me in the bridge command control room whatever thing. I should just call this my bedroom at this point.  


Day 52: Transcription of audio log

     I heard something again just a minute ago. I'm starting to think aliens have boarded the ship and are just playing games with me.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Day 53: Transcription of audio log

     I just want to sleep. But I can't sleep. If I sleep, it'll get me. The aliens. They're just tormenting me now. I-

          *THUD*

     YOU CAN'T SCARE ME!

 

Day 54: Transcription of audio log

     I'm not scared! I don't care if it's ghosts or aliens or someone else woke up, I'M NOT SCARED, DO YOU HEAR ME? YOU CAN'T SCARE ME!!

          *THUD*

     OH SHIT!

 

Day 55: Transcription of audio log

     Can you hear that? It's coming from the other side of the ship I think. It sounds like... crying. Like a person or a child crying... This is a new low for whoever is doing this. They think crying sounds will lure me out, well they're WRONG! I'M NOT COMING OUT AND YOU CAN'T GET ME!

 

Day 56: Transcription of audio log

     The crying turned into a voice, like shouting I think. Someone needs help. NO, IT’S NOT REAL! But someone might need my help. Maybe someone else woke up. NO NO NO NO! IT’S THE ALIEN GHOSTS! I have to help them, I don't want to be alone anymore! TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON!

 

Day 57: Transcription of audio log

     This time the sound wasn't moving. It stayed still! It has to be real! I didn't find the source of the crying yet, but I know it's on the far side of the ship. I've been going out to look for the sound. First I stayed close, then slowly started going further away. I'll find them BEFORE THEY FIND ME! Is it a trick? The ghosts? 

 

Day 58: Transcription of audio log

     I think I know where the sound is coming from. Someone is near the rear airlock. Are they trying to get out? Or in? Oh no... They must want me to let them in...

 

Day 59: Transcription of audio log

     I'm so tired of being alone! I don't know if I should go! The crying hasn't stopped and I haven't slept! It's been DAYS! Can't you hear it? They don't want to be alone either. YOU CAN KEEP THE DOOR TO THIS ROOM OPEN ALL YOU WANT BUT I'M NOT GOING! What if it's a trap? What if all of this was a trap? What's going to happen if I go to the airlock? ARE YOU TRYING TO TRICK ME? IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK! I'm so tired of the silence. All I hear is the silence and the crying and sometimes a distant thud. What is real anymore?

 

Day 60: Transcription of audio log

     I'm going. I'm going to the airlock to find out who is crying. I'll bring them back here once I find them. Neither of us has to be alone.

 

* * *

 

_> >Systems Log: Airlock 3 open_

_> >Systems Log: Airlock 3 closed_

 

* * *

 

 

_Captain's Log: Year 20_

_Excuse my language in this official log but what in the hell happened? We were supposed to wake up once a year but we just slept through 13! I'm going to have to get this computer looked at when we get to the Alpha Centauri system. Everything seems to be fine otherwise. We're about a month away from our destination, which means the crew and I have to stay awake now to start the deceleration process and then land. Lt. Walker and Cmdr. Kelley have some fun ideas for turning our freeze-dried meals into something more exciting. We'll see how that goes._

 

* * *

 

 

"Captain, all systems check out fine. But we found something odd."

"What do you mean by odd, Commander?"

"Well, at some point, airlock 3 opened on it's own. It doesn't appear anyone told it to open."

"Are all of the passengers accounted for? No one is wandering the ship or anything?"

"No captain, everyone and everything is accounted for. But there is something else."

"Well, go on."

"We found some text and audio files. They appear to be... logs."

"What do you mean 'logs?'"

"I just skimmed them but it looks like someone was out of their pod for a while, but when I checked the pod control systems, it shows they've all been online for the entire trip. That's not even the weirdest part."

"How in the hell can it get any weirder?"

"If you read them, Captain, some of the things they mention just don't add up..."

 

 

**The End**

 

 


End file.
